Desert village defies odds with award-winning wines

In June, the wind whispers through the Kubuqi Desert, rustling rows of thriving grapevines where barren sands once stretched endlessly.

Under a leafy trellis, 57-year-old Tian Yinlin inspects the young grapes. "They'll bear fruit soon," he says, recalling when this land was lifeless.

Today, Huangmuhari village in Engebei town, Dalad Banner, has become home to a vineyard which produces award-winning wines. French winemaker Patrick, who hails from Bordeaux and has over 30 years of experience, first visited the village two years ago, when Tiange Winery was still under construction. "Excellent drainage, strong day-night temperature variation – this is a natural lab for winemaking," he remarked.

On June 14, Tiange Winery officially launched its "Desert's Gift" and "Tiange Kubuqi Desert" wine series. The event secured over 5 million yuan ($695,410) in orders. Notably, the Kubuqi series won "Qingzhuo Awards" from the China Alcoholic Drinks Association in 2024.

"This proves we can grow quality grapes and make fine wine in Ordos," said Zhang Haijun, Tiange Winery's general manager. The winery spans 5,000 mu (about 33.33 hectares) and is expected to reach full production by 2028, with a projected annual output of 1,000 metric tons of wine, 200 tons of brandy, and projected sales of 500 million yuan.

Chairman Wang Shangshan still recalls the skepticism he faced in 2018 during a fierce sandstorm as he led the planting of the first shelterbelts. "Locals said I must've gone mad, planting grapes in the desert," he said.

Since 2019, the winery has invested over 10 million yuan in desert control, planting over 200,000 trees and installing tens of thousands of square meters of windbreak nets. It introduced an Israeli smart drip irrigation system, allowing efficient watering on a 300-mu unit basis, each cycle taking six days.

Now, dense shelter forests encircle the lush vineyards, shielding them from sandstorms and transforming the area into a green oasis. Locals are reaping the rewards. Former farmer Zhao Jianping now manages the vineyard and speaks fluently about sugar-acid ratios in different grape varieties. He earns 5,000–7,000 yuan per month. Tian Yinlin also earns over 7,000 yuan monthly and says life is now full of promise.

Over 300 villagers have found jobs thanks to the winery's success, transitioning from subsistence farming to industrial employment.

"There's still untapped ecological value in the desert," Wang said. Future tourism plans include morning tree-planting in the dunes and afternoon wine-tasting in climate-controlled cellars.

Zhang recalls when he first arrived, the desert encroached silently on farmland. Locals fought it with shovels and grit, with little success. "I wondered then – could grapevines take root here?”

Patrick is convinced: "This is a rare, pioneering effort – harnessing desert ecology to produce wine. It marks a milestone in the global history of winemaking."